Hi Frank:

First of all, I commend you on having the ambition to take matters into your own hands. The truth is, you'll probably do a great job provided you have the right tools. The correct pad and polish combo for your situation should be Menzerna Super Intensive Polish/Lake Country orange pad and Menzerna Micro Polish and Lake Country White pad. Then you can HD-Cleanse and use the Concours wax. You'll be very happy with the results. Please don't hesitate to give me a call and I'll walk you through the rest.

 

Just bought a used 01 Carbon Black M3 and am new to the detailing process. The car does not have any swirls at all but does have some very light scratches on the hood. D you have a beginners guide from start to end? I hope to master detailing so that I don't ever have to bring it back to the detailer in my area just to drop $200+ each time.

 

The process is actually quite easy. After washing, you simply clay, polish, and wax. Then you have to maintain by washing and applying detail spray weekly or bi-monthly. By the way, depending on the quality of work, $200 isn't expensive at all. People need to realize that a proper detail on a car not needing too much work would take a professional about 4-6 hours and should be costing $300, and up, without machine polishing. For $200 bucks, not sure what quality products the detailer is using, if he has insurance, if he's paying taxes, etc. This is why there are so many fly-by-night detailers. In the beginning it's easy to charge $200 for a detail; but if you want to grow and be successful, you need to consider advertising, insurance, taxes, marketing, future development, etc. you realize a $200 detail will not make you enough money. I think it's great the enthusiasts decide to detail their own cars. This way they get an appreciation for the scope of work and why it cost what it does to do it right.

 

Moe...I see the need for a Moe DVD!! Just let me know when I need to fly out.

 

It's starting to sound like a great idea

 

Aside from what moe mentioned above i would ad, that you are not really paying for the products. Even with multiple coats of vintage your costs of product are around 50-100. It is the experience, the eye, attention to detail, the level of concentration, the product knowledge that you are paying for.

Everyone can buy a rotary, pads, menz/1z tape, clay, sealant or wax for sub 1k. What is not possible to learn is the limitations of each product and how each product influences the others. That takes cars, lots of them in every condition, every type of day. That repertoire of history, knowledge and understanding is what you are buying. Sadly very few detailers sell that. They focus on I use X product, I have X tool, instead of Their personal understanding of cars, tools, products and the limitations there in.

My 2 cents in a world of 20 dollar bills.

 

I have to agree with both Moe and Grouse. Detailing is both the eye and the skill sets that are mastered. As well the overhead that customers do not see. So detailers that are charging $100-$200 are either doing production detailing and washing and surviving on volume less the quality or just they are just going to run themselves out of business in time.

 

How do you avoid static after a wash with Clear and Field Glaze with a MF towel? Might it be the towel creating the static?

 

It's your towels, Stitchy, creating static. You might have left them in the dryer too long or on too high of a heat. Use low heat and take them out just before they are completely dry, or put them on the fluff cycle until completely dry. Hope this helps.

 

just a quick question i want to wax my car this weekend and i noticed that swirl marks have increased all around my car. question is i do not have a porter cable yet and i will be waxing by hand, i have memguiars scratch x swirl remover how should i apply that before my wax? or what process should i go with.

 

just a note typically sealants and waxes should be applied as the last step. So use the scratch x before the wax.

 

in what motion should I apply the scratch x or it doesnt matter?

 

In your particular case, we first have to remedy where the swirls are coming from. You mentioned the swirls have increased. Have you taken it to a different wash place, are you using different towels, products, etc. ? The reason I ask is that using the scratch x, which I'm not too familiar with, is a step that will only hide the swirls. Products like Scratch X are a mild polish designed to round the edges of the swirls and fill them with oils and silicones. After a few washes, the scratches are visible again. If you don't have a porter cable, I wouldn't waste my time with the scratch x. Instead, just clay the car and use a cleaner wax. When you get the porter cable, then you can invest the time and get the results you should expect. So if it were me, I'd scrap the scratch x and use a cleaner wax from Meguiar's or Zymol. You should find both at a pep boys or kragens. If you do decide to use scratch x, use a soft terry cotton pad, and rub in linear motion, not in circles. After you're finished scratchxing the car, you will need to apply a wax in the same manner. You can wipe both products off using a high quality microfiber towel.

 

Alright ill go with that procedure than. Thank You!

 

moe i just use the same things ive used before Meguiars GOld Class shampoo, dry with microfiber towels thats it....I just purchased the Zymol Cleaner Wax right now from pep boys, my second question, is that the only wax im going to use or I apply that first than put on my final wax.